Sunak is the Michael Corleone of the Tory party – try as he might to break free, he’s up to his neck in it

‘Sunak’s task is made harder by daily reminders that the Tories have been in for 13 years, and have spent much of that time veering between chaos, scandal and calamity.’ Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

When it comes to on-screen charisma, Rishi Sunak is no Al Pacino, but after the week he’s had, he can authentically channel one of the Hollywood legend’s most treasured lines. With conviction, he can make like Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part III and hiss: “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

For Sunak is desperate to break free of the disastrous recent Tory past, but again and again it grabs him by the ankles and yanks him back. A week that began with hopeful talk of a breakthrough with the European Union has ended back on the booze, cake and serial rule-breaking of Partygate.